Over this past year, our family of ten found ourselves on a wild ride. We, for many reasons to be explained in future blogs, believed it was time for us to leave our tiny one and a half acre homestead in Florida for something bigger. Not only did we leave everything we built over the past 6 years but also the comfort of the only State we had ever lived in our entire lives!
Fast forward 10 months in the future and God has faithfully surpassed all our dreams and expectations! We are now the owners of a 105 acre farm with a 150 year old farm house. Today, on day 46, I have come to a startling realization: I am no closer to God's creation on 105 acres in rural Virginia VS. the 1.5 acres in suburban Florida. In fact, I'm starting to feel more distant.
"Have I simply just spent most of my time indoors?" No and I have the tan to prove it.
"Is it the overwhelming pressure of now having 100x more land to upkeep?" I'm sure this doesn't help but I'm mostly excited about the possibilities.
"Is it that I am cheap and purchased old tractors that need TLC when I'm trying to maintain the land?" Again, probably doesn't help but I actually enjoy problem solving and working with my hands.
God, through His creation, gave me a much needed reality check! I needed to get a tool from the detached garage to finish installing a sink in the kitchen but was distracted by the beauty of the night sky. As I momentarily forget my "task" and instead sat there under the stars at 11 pm I was struck with a feeling of wonder that I had not felt in a very long time. This feeling was so powerful that I could not help but burst out in the chorus of "How great thou art". The stars were so clear and brilliant and the sounds of crickets, frogs, and cicadas was like a light show put to harmonious music. In this moment, I joined the chorus of praise to our maker.
How is it possible that I have missed such beauty? Why am I just now enjoying God's handiwork? Where the stars more bright, the crickets more jubilant in their song, the air more crisp or rather were my eyes undistracted, my ears unencumbered and my rate of breathing eased? In this moment, I did not look at the fields as something to be tended to, the insects something to manage or nature something I needed to subdue. For the first time in months, my relationship with the land was not transactional but communal.
The stars did not dim because I neglected to gaze upon them, nor did the moon cease to reflect light on my dark path, the sun still burned as bright as before but in the blindness of my transactional mindset, I was unable to see the beauty placed right in front of me.
As I reflect on what I have missed out on for over 45 days, I can't help but think about those who miss out on such awestruck wonder for years, decades or their entire lifetime. To that point I ask, "when was the last time you stared at a stary night sky, or listened to the rustling of the wind or the chirping of crickets, watched the sun peak through storm clouds, or bask in the warmth of the sun?"
Maybe your like me and you have discounted your current access to God's creation due to your future plans of a "superior" experience, location, or vacation. Let me encourage you with the fact that God has ordained a unique perspective of His creation, specific to you, for today and for your enjoyment. The question is, will you notice it, admire it, take it in or will you allow the blinding and distracting tyranny of today's tasks and transactions steal God's special daily gift to you?
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